The Child is the Father of the Man
by Cirocco
Summary: Random blasts from the past.


Hey Tommy, it's your kid.

Yeah? Benny, my boy!! Hey, c'mon over, c'mon, kiddo, hey, it's my boy! Hey, fellas, you meet my boy Benny before?

Hello, yes, Dad, we've all met-

Benny, this here's Chuck, an' Phil, an'-

Yeah, Dad, I know them. Dad, you're supposed to be back at work. It's almost two o'clock.

An' you're supposed to be at school, Benny, but you're not there either, are ya?

Dad, come on, I'll take you back to work, OK?

Ah, come on, stay a while, you can join your old man at lunch for a bit, eh Benny boy?

Dad, you have to get back to the office.

Nah, I wanna stay here.

Here, why don't I take your coat for you, we'll walk back together, OK?

Tommy, your kid, he's some piece a work. Come on, Benny-boy, let your old man relax for a little bit.

I'm sorry, sir, but my father needs to go back to his office.

Here, kid, I'll help you. Shut up, Chuck. Tommy, Tommy, come on, Ben's right, you've been here for two hours, it's time to go. I said shut up, Chuck, give the kid a break, he's just trying take care of his old man. Maybe if my daughters had done that a couple times I'd still have an office to go to. Come on, Tommy. Here, Ben, you take his other arm.

Thank you, sir.

Don't mention it. You got a good kid, here, Tommy.

Yeah, chip off the ol' block, my Benny-boy. Always takin' care o' the old man, right? Raised ya right.

_Greevey__: How did you know?  
Stone: My father. Every day, at lunch.  
- Prescription For Death_

**ooo000ooo**

Leonard Walter Briscoe!!

(giggle) Walter? WAL-ter?

Shuddup, shuddup - Uh... yeah Ma?

What is this?

It's a comic book, Ma. Ow!

Don't you smart-mouth me, Leonard!! I know very well it's a comic book!

So why ask - Ow! Ma!

Did you steal this?

No, Ma.

How did you pay for it, then?

I uh, I used my lunch money.

(giggle)

Shuddup, Harry!

Wrong answer, Leonard! Harry, you go home right now unless you want me to tell your mother you were involved in this too.

Yes, Mrs. B. Bye, Lennie.

Bye, Harry.

(door closes)

Leonard, did you steal this comic book?

Well, depends what you're gonna call stealing, I mean-

You are going to march yourself right back down to that store and you are going to return it.

Ma, come on, it's not like Mr. P. missed it or nothin' - Ow!

That's not the point! And watch your grammar!

But Ma-

Don't you 'But Ma' me! This is the third time! You want to end up in jail like your Uncle Al?

Ma, he was in jail for two days for getting drunk and passing out in the Park -

Jail is jail, Leonard! You want to embarrass the family? You know better than this!

Ow, Ma, lay off-

Don't you tell me to lay off! You're just lucky your father isn't home to see this, he'd do more than twist your ear! The idea! Now you get your sorry behind back to that store and you hand over that comic book to the Mr. Pignatelli right now!!

OK, Ma.

And I'm coming with you.

Aw, c'mon, Ma, doncha trust me?

No I do not. Wipe that smirk off your face. This is sickening. You keep up this kind of behaviour and you are going to end up in jail, mark my words.

_Logan__: You were here?  
Briscoe: Yeah, for about 3 years when I was a kid. You could steal a comic book from that drug store and be skippin' down 103rd Street before the old guy at the counter even knew you were gone. I was, eh, interested in the criminal mind even then.  
-Profile_

**ooo000ooo**

What the hell is the matter with you?

John, I-

I told you to have dinner ready by seven, what the hell is this?

John, I was busy-

Too damn busy to do the one thing you're supposed to do all day? How goddamn hard is it to get a pot roast ready?

Jack had a fever -

Don't you talk back at me!

John! No!

Hey! Get back here, you bitch!

(door slams)

Get outta there, Celia. Come on, get the hell outta there. You can't hide there forever.

John, calm yourself down! Jack had a fever and we spent the day at the doctor's-

You spent the whole day there? What the hell's the matter with you? Kid's got a fever, you just drop everything? You want him to be some sorta sissy?! Little Momma's boy - Jack, where the hell are you?!

No! John, he's in bed, he's sick-

No he's not, he's hiding behind the - you little sneak!! Get your ass out here you-

Daddy, don't!!

John! John, don't, he's sick-

Oh so now you come outta the basement? For your little baby boy - get your ass out here and make the god damn pot roast - and you stop that sniveling, you god damn sissy Momma's boy!! You want me to give you something to cry about?!

John, don't!

_McCoy: And if anybody messed it up, he had these big thick hands. (pause) Sometimes my mother had to lock herself in the basement.  
Mike: Son of a bitch hit her?  
McCoy: Ten years. I'm still scared o' those hands.  
-Aftershock_

**ooo000ooo**

All right, I think you're up next. Why your father couldn't be here today of all days...

Mother, don't worry about it. I don't need him here.

He should be here. You need moral support. Besides, he knows the law-

I wish you'd stop saying that. He does not 'know the law', Mother. You're making him sound like Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Well he is an Acting Justice of the Peace.

He's a municipal government bureaucrat.

Young lady-

Oh, hi Dad.

Am I too late?

No, no, they haven't called me yet. I'm up next.

Roger, of all days to be late.

Sorry, I was held up in a meeting. Besides, she'll be fine. She just has to remember what we talked about.

Dad, I did what I did for a reason. I don't want to get up there and lie about it.

It's not a lie. It's safeguarding your future, for Heaven's sake. Roger, talk sense into her.

Dad, don't bother. You've already said your piece.

Wait, you're not actually going to admit to-

Admit to caring about what's happening in East Timor? Admit to wanting to draw people's attention to the situation?

But this will follow you for the rest of your life, this is a criminal record, for God's sake-

It's my life and my choice. What I did was civil disobedience and part of civil disobedience is being willing to take responsibility for your actions. Martin Luther King Jr. didn't hide from the consequences of his actions, Rosa Parks didn't hide from the consequences of her actions-

Rosa Parks was not about to apply for college, for heaven's sake-

Docket number 667234, People v. Claire Kincaid, the charges are Trespassing, Vandalism, and Obstruction of Justice, how do you plead?

Guilty, Your Honour.

_Kincaid: He was an Acting Justice of the Peace. So the clerk calls my name, I stand up, and say, 'Guilty, Your Honor'.  
Van Buren: And justice for all.  
-Aftershock_

**ooo000ooo**

Hey Jorge.

Hi Pop.

Hey, kiddo.

(silence)

What's the matter with you? Don't I get a hello? (pause) What's with the face?

Mama knows. She knows what you're doing.

What?

She knows you been with that lady-

What the hell-

That lady from the liquor store. She knows you been with her when you said you was with your friends.

What the hell!

You shouldn't-

Shut your mouth! That's none of your business!!

She been crying. You shouldn't be doing that, it ain't right-

I told you to shut your mouth, you little brat!!

Pop, don't! Don't hit him -

OW!!

(door slams)

(silence)

Well, OK, was that worth it, little guy? That's gonna be a big bump tomorrow and now he's probably just gone right back to that little slut. Betcha wish you kept your mouth shut now, yeah?

Jorge, don't. He feels bad enough. Come here, hermanito. I'll put some ice on that.

Lay offa him. He's too old for your big sister routine. He's big enough to know when to keep his trap shut like the rest of us do.

He's just upset, OK? Mama's been crying all night.

So? Not his problem.

Here, sweetie, put this on your forehead. Don't listen to Jorge.

You don't care about Mama! You think it's OK him doing what he's doing! I don't!!

(chuckle) Wait'll you're a man, then you'll understand.

No I won't! I am never, ever gonna make a woman cry like that! That ain't what a man's supposed to do!

Sweetie, calm down. Jorge's just being an idiot. Shut up, Jorge.

I hate Pop! He made her cry! You get married, you promise before God and everybody not to do what he's doing!

I know, hermanito. Don't cry.

I ain't cryin'! I'm just mad.

Well, bro, the thing is, Pop don't wanna hear it. 'Cause you're eight fuckin' years old and he don't wanna hear that kinda thing from you. 'Cause you're just a kid, you don't know shit.

I know enough that it ain't right! It's lying and it's cheating and it's a sin! And you don't even say nothing to him!!

Ah, take a pill, bro. Ain't our place to tell our old man what he shouldn't be doing.

He's little but he's right. How come you're always defending Pop?

Jesus, I'm surrounded by fucking uptight little saints. You're right you'll never hurt a woman like that, 'cause you're probably never gonna get married, the way you're going. You're gonna end up a fuckin' priest, make Mama real proud. Stupid kid.

Jorge... please. He's upset enough.

Ah, come on, I'm sorry. C'mere, little guy. (silence) It pisses me off too, OK? But there's nothin' we can do about it. Let's go out for a soda or something, 'kay?

_Curtis: My old man used to chase women all the time and I swore I'd never be like him, but...  
-Menace_

**ooo000ooo**

Pass the gravy please'n thank you.

Pass the salt please.

Thanks.

Hey! I didn't get any gravy.

Jamie, go get more, please.

Pass the salt please'n thank you.

So how's college life, David?

Pretty good.

Good to be home for Thanksgiving?

Good to be eating real food again, Mom.

Lotsa girls in college, Dave?

Lotsa girls, yeah.

Anybody special?

Sure, yeah, lotsa special ones.

Ready to bring anybody home to meet your mother?

Nah, he's just ready to take 'em back to his place.

(laughter)

Richard.

Susan, relax. It's just boy talk.

I won't have that kind of talk at the dinner table. It's Thanksgiving dinner and I'll thank you all to keep it clean.

Yeah, sorry Mom.

So Pipsqueak, you do anything interesting while I've been away? How's your first year of high school?

I'm in the band.

Oh yeah?

She looks like a fat little meter maid in the uniform.

I do not!

Gary, you apologize to your sister right now.

Sorry, Jamie.

What are you playing?

The trombone.

You any good?

She sounds like a moose.

I do not!

Richard!

Sorry, Jamie.

Hey Jamie, you gonna tell Dave why you're in the band?

Gary!

Hey, ho ho ho, sounds like somebody's got something to hide.

I do not!

You're blushing, Pip.

I am not!

So what gives?

She's got a biig crush on the saxophone player, that's why she joined.

Rick!

Richard, don't tease your sister.

Hey, Pip, is that true?

No it's not!

She's been writing his name all over her diary-

I have not!

Alex and Jamie, AN JR-

Mr. and Mrs. Alex and Jamie Nelson-

(laughter)

That's a lie!

Boys, stop teasing your sister.

I did not write that!

(laughing) Come on, come on, Pipsqueak, don't let 'em getcha mad. So Alex Nelson, huh? He still the same pizza face he was last year?

He's not a pizza face!

See, what'd I tell you, she's got the hots for him-

Richard! That's not acceptable language for the dinner table!

Sorry, Mom. (pause) She does, though. (laughter)

My baby sister's first crush. I'm kinda sorry to miss this.

I do not have a crush on him!

You know what else you missed, Jamie's getting her period now.

Gary!

Gary!

Son, that's not acceptable at the dinner table. You apologize to your sister right now.

Sorry, Jamie.

So, uh, you like the band? Even though you don't have a crush on Alex Nelson?

Yeah, it's fun.

I was in band too, remember?

Yeah. Mr. O'Reilly remembers you. He asked me if I was related to David Ross and I said yeah and he said if I was half as good as you he'd be pretty happy.

I hope he doesn't remember me.

I'm sure he does, Mike. It wouldn't be easy to forget Michael Ross, the brilliant trumpet player who spent most of his time dreaming up practical jokes to play on the music teacher.

Come on, Mom, I was just a kid.

You could have really hurt somebody with that flagpole shenanigan. Just be glad he's not holding it against Jamie that she's related to you - to any of you. Sometimes I think I've raised a pack of hooligans.

Hey come on, Mom, being related to a pack of hooligans has its upside, right Jamie?

That's right. For one thing, if you start dating that saxophone player, you know if he messes with you, he'll have to answer to all four of us. Right?

David, she's not going to start dating this year. Thirteen is too young for dates. And wipe that smirk off your face, Gary.

Pass the carrots.

_McCoy: You don't mind that kind of thing?  
Ross: I grew up with four older brothers.  
-ID_

**ooo000ooo**

Mikey! Ready for church?

Yeah, Pop.

You OK, Mikey?

Yeah.

You sick?

No, Dad.

Let's go, then, come on, hurry up, you don't want to keep your mother waiting. (pause) Son, where'd you get that bruise?

Uh - playing baseball.

(silence)

Baseball?

Yeah, Dad, you shoulda seen it, it was so cool, Frankie hit the ball and it was gonna go right over the fence and our team was losing, but I went to get it and I got it too, I sent it right back to Billy Merino and he took Frankie right out. But, uh, I fell on the way back, busted my face.

Well, that's good, son. That's good, good that you're playing baseball. You like it?

Oh yeah, it's great. Coach says I got a great pitch.

How often are you playing?

It's twice a week.

(pause) Your mom OK with that?

Yeah, yeah, no problem. Got it covered.

Good, good. (pause) Listen, uh, Father Joe told me last week he's planning a retreat for the altar boys over the long weekend, might be nice, you could go to the campgrounds, get you outta the house-

No! Uh, no, Dad, I, uh...

What? Don't you wanna go with the other boys? Don't worry that we can't cover the cost, I'll work it out with your mother.

No, no - uh, I, I need to, to stay and do some work for my math course. I have, uh, a test I have to study for.

You, studying for a test? (chuckle)

Yeah...

This for that math class where Lydia Adams is your tutor?

Uh-

How badly do you need to study?

(chuckle) Well, Dad, you know, I wanna do really well.

I bet. OK, son, you stay here, I guess hanging out with your pals isn't as interesting as hanging out with your tutor any more. Geez, you boys are growing up so fast. (silence) You know... I, I wish I could be around more. For you boys.

Hey, Dad, it's OK. I mean, we understand.

Michael! Where the hell are you?!

He's here with me, Mary! He's, uh, I asked him to give me a hand here - OK, Mikey, go on - oh, straighten your tie, son. And comb your hair again before your mother sees you.

Thanks, Dad.

_Logan__: Every kid wants to be a fireman.  
Cerreta: Or a cop.  
__Logan__: Not me.  
Cerreta: No?  
__Logan__: When I saw my old man, which was, like, every Sunday morning at mass, I swore I'd do something different.  
Cerreta: So what happened?  
Logan: I grew up, I guess.  
-Heaven_


End file.
